WHEN Derrick Duncan heard former Celtic legend John Hartson had celebrated the birth of a new daughter, he remembers knowing exactly how the brave footballer must have felt.

WHEN Derrick Duncan heard former Celtic legend John Hartson had celebrated the birth of a new daughter, he remembers knowing exactly how the brave footballer must have felt.

Derrick and John are the same age. They share a love of football. And they both became fathers while battling stage four cancerous brain tumours.

While doctors have recently told Hartson that his cancer is "almost "undetectable", tragically Derrick has not had such positive news.

Although gruelling treatments are keeping Derrick's cancer at bay, he knows he is terminally ill.

But he says the sound of his daughter's laughter is the most powerful medicine he could ever have wished for.

And - like Hartson - his family are driving him to not only keep fighting his cancer, but also to fundraise to help other cancer patients spend more precious time with their families.

Derrick, 35, a Dundee United fan who represented Fife region playing football as a teenager, said: "When something like this happens, it really is your family that keeps you going.

"My wife, Lesley, was six months pregnant with our first baby when my brain tumour was diagnosed.

"I was told I needed major brain surgery to remove the tumour and I knew that it would be risky surgery - that I could die, or at the very least take a long time to recover.

"I didn't want to miss the birth of our baby. I didn't want Lesley to have to go through it all on her own.

"I wanted to be with Lesley when our baby was born, so I told the doctors I wanted to postpone the operation until after my daughter's birth."

Derrick, an IT lecturer at Angus College, Arbroath, and Lesley, 28, had dreamed of having a family together since meeting just three years earlier.

The couple, of Cupar, Fife, had been delighted when Lesley became pregnant in November 2006 - four months after their wedding.

But their happiness turned to heartache when, just a few months later, Derrick started to suffer from crippling headaches and tests revealed a large tumour on the left side of his brain.

At the time, Derrick did not know he had stage four cancer. Scan results had led medics to believe that the tumour was benign.

Derrick said: "If we had known all along that the tumour was cancerous, then I would have had the operation straight away.

"But I had previously had a benign tumour removed from my brain when I was 15, so the doctors told me it was very likely that this one was benign too.

"They couldn't 100 per cent guarantee it, but they said the shape and location of the tumour suggested it was benign."

Derrick and Lesley will never know if having the tumour removed earlier would have made any difference.

But they do not dwell on their decision. Derrick said: "Being at Anna's birth was amazing. It is an emotional experience for any parent - but for us it was especially emotional.

"We knew I had this tumour growing in my head and I needed a big operation to get it out. But as I held my new baby daughter in my arms I felt like the proudest, happiest father in the world."

Baby Anna was born, weighing 7lb 6oz in, August 2007.

Just two weeks later, Derrick was in Ninewells Hospital in Dundee undergoing what the family hoped would be a lifesaving op.

But they soon heard the devastating news that the tumour was cancerous and had spread deeper into his brain.

Lesley said: "At first we couldn't take it in - everything was happening so fast. One minute we had just got married, then I was pregnant, then Derrick was diagnosed with a brain tumour, then Anna was born, now we were being told Derrick was terminally ill.

"Everything happened in the space of roughly a year.

"When the doctor told us Derrick's cancer was at stage four, we didn't know if that was good or bad.

"I remember asking how many stages of cancer there were.

"When the doctor said there were only four, I still wasn't sure. I asked her if stage four was the lowest stage, and if they worked their way up to one.

"But she shook her head and told us that it was the other way around - that stage four was the most advanced."

The doctor asked them if they wanted to know the life expectancy of someone with his stage of cancer growing in the brain.

Derrick said he was horrified by the question. He said: "Why would I want to know? It would be like having a clock down ticking inside you.

"And Lesley and I quickly decided that we weren't giving up hope anyway."

Derrick began powerful treatments of radiotherapy and chemotherapy to halt the spread of disease.

He was also put on a range of other medicines - from painkillers to steroids.

Three years on, Derrick's cancer has not vanished, but at least it's not spreading - and he is an inspiration to all those around him.

While his illness continues to take its toll, he refuses to let him stop being a "normal dad" to his little girl.

He is planning to take her to Disneyland Paris in the near future. And he is looking forward to her first day of school in two years.

Lesley said: "There have been times when Derrick has been so ill, but I know being around Anna is driving him on.

"Every morning he likes to get up and make her breakfast, no matter how bad a night he may have had or how ill he may be feeling

"She is a real daddy's girl, always running to him for help or to play or even just to snuggle up with and watch a film or read a book. To hear them both laughing away together is the most amazing sound."

Derrick says his family gives him strength and all he wants to do is be at home, adding: "Anna is the best medicine he could possibly have."

He knows he could not be at home without the care of Macmillan Cancer Care support nurses.

He also relies on a special syringe driver machine which allows him to receive pain-relieving drugs as an outpatient of Ward 32 at Ninewells.

Derrick added: "This equipment makes the world of difference to me as it allows me to stay at home and spend precious time with Lesley and Anna.

"But I know the hospital does not have as many of these syringe drivers as they need. So, with the help of some friends, I am fundraising to raise as much money as we can to buy more.

"We want to help people like me to be able to have as precious much time with their families as possible."

Derrick has also recruited four friends to stage a sponsored cycle around all 12 Scottish Premier League clubs.

John Grant, Robert Cassidy, Paul Harrison and Gordon Traynor plan to cycle the 450 miles in just three days.

Derrick also plans to stage a charity race night, where items gifted by each SPL club and other businesses will be auctioned off to raise funds.

Cyclists Sir Chris Hoy and Mark Beaumont have already donated signed cycling tops for the auction.

Derrick said: "We are hoping the 12 clubs - including Johh Hartson's old club Celtic - and all the fans of the clubs will give generously and support us."